Month: September 2024
Last chance to become a volunteer at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024
We are officially less than a month away from TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, taking place at Moscone West in San Francisco from October 28-30. We’re currently seeking dedicated and highly motivated volunteers to support our events team and help bring this amazing experience to life. If you’re dreaming of becoming a startup founder, marketer, or event
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
We are officially less than a month away from TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, taking place at Moscone West in San Francisco from October 28-30. We’re currently seeking dedicated and highly motivated volunteers to support our events team and help bring this amazing experience to life. If you’re dreaming of becoming a startup founder, marketer, or event […]
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
AI reading coach startup Ello now lets kids create their own stories
Ello, the AI reading companion that aims to support kids struggling to read, launched a new product on Monday that allows kids to participate in the story-creation process. Called “Storytime,” the new AI-powered feature helps kids generate personalized stories by picking from a selection of settings, characters, and plots. For instance, a story about a
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Ello, the AI reading companion that aims to support kids struggling to read, launched a new product on Monday that allows kids to participate in the story-creation process. Called “Storytime,” the new AI-powered feature helps kids generate personalized stories by picking from a selection of settings, characters, and plots. For instance, a story about a […]
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
The USB-C Apple Pencil is cheaper than ever in this early Prime Day deal
There are bargains aplenty to be had in the lead up to the October edition of Prime Day. Many are even bringing the prices of certain products down to record lows. Case in point: the USB-C Apple Pencil is cheaper than it’s ever been right now. You can snap one up for $69, which is $10 off and matches the lowest price we’ve seen to date for it.
Apple debuted this model last year as its most budget-friendly Apple Pencil so far, and this sale makes the peripheral even more wallet-friendly. However, Apple’s long had a problem with making it clear to consumers which version of the stylus is compatible with their iPad.
For the sake of clarity, here are all the iPad models with which the USB-C Apple Pencil works:
iPad Pro 13-inch (M4)
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later )
iPad Pro 11-inch (all models)
iPad Air 13-inch (M2)
iPad Air 11-inch (M2)
iPad Air (4th generation and later)
iPad (10th generation)
iPad mini (6th generation)
Although being able to charge the peripheral with a USB-C cable is handy, this version does lack some of the fancier features of the Apple Pencil Pro and second-gen Apple Pencil. While you can attach it to the side of iPads with magnetic holders for safekeeping and convenience, there’s no support for magnetic charging. Pressure sensitivity isn’t available and you can’t use Apple’s nifty double-tap feature. However, the company says the USB-C Apple Pencil does support pixel-perfect accuracy, low latency and tilt sensitivity.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice in the lead up to October Prime Day 2024.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-usb-c-apple-pencil-is-cheaper-than-ever-in-this-early-prime-day-deal-144636955.html?src=rss
There are bargains aplenty to be had in the lead up to the October edition of Prime Day. Many are even bringing the prices of certain products down to record lows. Case in point: the USB-C Apple Pencil is cheaper than it’s ever been right now. You can snap one up for $69, which is $10 off and matches the lowest price we’ve seen to date for it.
Apple debuted this model last year as its most budget-friendly Apple Pencil so far, and this sale makes the peripheral even more wallet-friendly. However, Apple’s long had a problem with making it clear to consumers which version of the stylus is compatible with their iPad.
For the sake of clarity, here are all the iPad models with which the USB-C Apple Pencil works:
iPad Pro 13-inch (M4)
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later )
iPad Pro 11-inch (all models)
iPad Air 13-inch (M2)
iPad Air 11-inch (M2)
iPad Air (4th generation and later)
iPad (10th generation)
iPad mini (6th generation)
Although being able to charge the peripheral with a USB-C cable is handy, this version does lack some of the fancier features of the Apple Pencil Pro and second-gen Apple Pencil. While you can attach it to the side of iPads with magnetic holders for safekeeping and convenience, there’s no support for magnetic charging. Pressure sensitivity isn’t available and you can’t use Apple’s nifty double-tap feature. However, the company says the USB-C Apple Pencil does support pixel-perfect accuracy, low latency and tilt sensitivity.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice in the lead up to October Prime Day 2024.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-usb-c-apple-pencil-is-cheaper-than-ever-in-this-early-prime-day-deal-144636955.html?src=rss
AMD Improves Zen 5 CPU Latency and Performance With BIOS Updates
AMD has released BIOS updates to boost performance and reduce latency for its Ryzen 9600X and 9700X processors. The updates come a month after disappointing Zen 5 desktop CPU reviews and coincide with Windows 11 optimizations for AMD chips. The new AGESA PI 1.2.0.2 firmware addresses high core-to-core latency issues and introduces a 105-watt cTDP option, promising up to 10% performance gains for multithreaded workloads.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
AMD has released BIOS updates to boost performance and reduce latency for its Ryzen 9600X and 9700X processors. The updates come a month after disappointing Zen 5 desktop CPU reviews and coincide with Windows 11 optimizations for AMD chips. The new AGESA PI 1.2.0.2 firmware addresses high core-to-core latency issues and introduces a 105-watt cTDP option, promising up to 10% performance gains for multithreaded workloads.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
China calls for satellite broadband to face real-time censorship
The Chinese government wants to monitor satellite communications, and it could affect SpaceX and Amazon.
The Chinese government has unveiled new draft regulations to mandate real-time content censorship as part of its effort to control satellite-based communications.
The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has published its latest proposals, which would require any organization or individual using satellite communication devices to adhere to new censorship guidelines.
If successful, the new rules will prohibit the production, distribution or sharing of content deemed illegal under Chinese law via satellite devices.
China wants to extend censorship to satellite communications
China’s proposed rules, designed to stomp out the undermining of national unity, the promotion of terrorism, extremism or ethnic hatred, and the spread of false information, would apply to all devices that connect directly to satellite services, including handheld portable devices as well as terminals mounted to vehicles, ships and aircraft.
As well as the censorship, satellite services providers must also align with national security protocols and data security lawss.
Operators would need to prevent users from conducting illegal activities, and those using satellite-connected devices to access such content would need to be reported to the authorities. In order to facilitate this and comply with regulations, operators would need to obtain licenses, collect users’ identity information and process data within China.
The Cyberspace Administration confirmed: “If a terminal equipment direct satellite service provider finds that a user has published or transmitted information prohibited by laws and regulations, it shall immediately stop the transmission, take measures such as elimination in accordance with the law, preserve relevant records, and report to the relevant competent authorities.”
Moreover, China’s proposed censorship suggests that foreign satellite operators, such as SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper, would need to gain approval to operate within the country.
Feedback is being welcomed until October 27, one month after the draft regulations were announced.
More from TechRadar Pro
Need a phone with emergency satellite options? Check out the best business smartphonesChina leads in up to 89% of tech research, study showsThese are the best broadband deals this month
Worried Nvidia’s going to cheap out on the VRAM for the RTX 5080 GPU? New rumor suggests superior 24GB version is also inbound
The RTX 5080 graphics card might be getting the VRAM upgrade from Nvidia that gamers are desperate for.
Nvidia’s RTX 5080 was recently rumored to be getting 16GB of VRAM – speculation that did not go down well with PC gamers, as it’s an amount no better than the RTX 4080 – but fresh word from the grapevine is the next-gen graphics card could also arrive in a 24GB flavor.
This is according to Polymorph, a member of the Chiphell forum (as spotted by Wccftech), who claims that Nvidia plans to release a 24GB VRAM version of the RTX 5080 later on, following in the footsteps of the initial 16GB model.
If this is true, a 24GB VRAM option would make Nvidia’s graphics card far more appealing and future-proofed.
As it stands, 16GB of VRAM with a 256-bit bus doesn’t feel like a convincing upgrade on the memory front. And while it’s true that switching to GDDR7 memory, as rumored elsewhere, would be an improvement over the RTX 4080 (with GDDR6X) – delivering better bandwidth and improved power efficiency, amongst other benefits – we don’t feel this is enough.
Neither do many PC gamers out there, going by the reaction to the 16GB of video RAM rumor when it emerged recently.
(Image credit: Micron)
A waiting game
So, why (theoretically) go for a 16GB and 24GB split for the VRAM with the RTX 5080 – and why wait to deliver the latter, beefier version?
Wccftech reminds us that initially GDDR7 will come in 2GB memory modules, with 8 and 16 of those modules for the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 respectively, giving us that 16GB (and 32GB) loadout.
However, eventually GDDR7 memory will be available in 3GB modules, too, and so that could potentially lead to 8 of these in the RTX 5080, for a total of 24GB (the 256-bit memory bus would remain the same).
All this is theorizing, of course, and alternatively Nvidia could take a different approach and use a GB202 (RTX 5090) chip in the more powerful take on the RTX 5080, using a 384-bit memory bus and 24GB of VRAM.
Whatever the case, Polymorph is telling us that the RTX 5080 24GB will seemingly happen – or at least is currently planned – but it won’t arrive until down the line some way, possibly not until 3GB modules of GDDR7 are in mass production.
Clearly, the RTX 5080 with 24GB of VRAM would be far more appealing, especially considering the 5090’s 32GB VRAM loadout. We suppose the worry is how much of a price hike Nvidia might put on a second version of the RTX 5080 that appeared later as an upgrade over the original 16GB incarnation – which in itself might be pricey.
It’s important to remember that all the information aired regarding Nvidia’s RTX 5000 series remains rumors and speculation. We’ll only know the concrete details when Nvidia reveals the next-gen Blackwell graphics cards, with the rumored launch date being CES 2025 in January (that’s been the thinking for some time).
Memory isn’t the only concern for the RTX 5080, as there are also worries about power usage, too (and that goes for the RTX 5090 as well).
Via VideoCardz
You might also like
These are the best graphics cards across all budgetsTop gaming PCs: great rigs for serious PC gamingBest PC games: must-play titles you don’t want to miss
Engineers investigate another malfunction on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket
SpaceX probably won’t be grounded for long, but this could affect the launch of Europa Clipper.
Enlarge / The Merlin vacuum engine on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket fired for six minutes to place the Crew-9 mission into low-Earth orbit. (credit: NASA/SpaceX)
SpaceX is investigating a problem with the Falcon 9 rocket’s upper stage that caused it to reenter the atmosphere and fall into the sea outside of its intended disposal area after a Saturday launch with a two-man crew heading to the International Space Station.
The upper stage malfunction apparently occurred after the Falcon 9 successfully deployed SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov on SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission. Hague and Gorbunov safely arrived at the space station Sunday to begin a five-month stay at the orbiting research complex.
The Falcon 9’s second stage Merlin vacuum engine fired for more than six minutes to place the Crew Dragon spacecraft into orbit after liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The engine was supposed to reignite later to steer the upper stage on a trajectory back into Earth’s atmosphere for disposal over the South Pacific Ocean, ensuring the rocket doesn’t remain in orbit as a piece of space junk.
Epic is suing Google and Samsung for making it too hard to download Fortnite
Some users may know that Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite, has had its own app store for a while now, the Epic Games Store. The company also won an antitrust lawsuit against Google last December that found Google held an illegal monopoly on app distribution and in-app billing services for Android devices. Despite that win, it seems that Epic’s court war has only begun. Epic Games is now suing Google again, but it also named Samsung in the lawsuit as a defendant. This time, its sights are trained on Samsung’s Auto Blocker feature.
In the latest lawsuit, Epic Games is claiming that Samsung’s Auto Blocker feature is making it difficult for users to install the Epic Games Store on the latest Samsung devices. This is because Samsung now activates Auto Blocker, which only allows app installs from the Google Play Store and Samsung Galaxy Store, by default and prevents third-party app installation unless you disable the function. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney is even suggesting that Google and Samsung are working together, though he admits there’s no concrete evidence for this claim.
The Verge’s Sean Hollister put these claims to the test and discovered that his Samsung smartphone did prevent him from installing Epic Games Store, but it wasn’t so simple. There were no instructions on how to deactivate Auto Blocker. He then searched “turn off auto blocker” in the search bar, which yielded results but required jumping through several screens.
Besides winning against Google and legally proving that Google had a monopoly over Android app sharing, Epic Games also won a lawsuit against Apple. Apple had refused to let Epic Games launch its app store on iOS devices, but the EU forced Apple’s hand. However, Apple is still resisting and claims that its acceptance is only temporary.
How Google and Samsung will respond remains to be seen, but it’s possible that both companies will resist and claim they aren’t making it difficult to install the Epic Games Store. Once again, we’ll likely be waiting for the legal system to sort things out.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/epic-is-suing-google-and-samsung-for-making-it-too-hard-to-download-fortnite-142846819.html?src=rss
Some users may know that Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite, has had its own app store for a while now, the Epic Games Store. The company also won an antitrust lawsuit against Google last December that found Google held an illegal monopoly on app distribution and in-app billing services for Android devices. Despite that win, it seems that Epic’s court war has only begun. Epic Games is now suing Google again, but it also named Samsung in the lawsuit as a defendant. This time, its sights are trained on Samsung’s Auto Blocker feature.
In the latest lawsuit, Epic Games is claiming that Samsung’s Auto Blocker feature is making it difficult for users to install the Epic Games Store on the latest Samsung devices. This is because Samsung now activates Auto Blocker, which only allows app installs from the Google Play Store and Samsung Galaxy Store, by default and prevents third-party app installation unless you disable the function. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney is even suggesting that Google and Samsung are working together, though he admits there’s no concrete evidence for this claim.
The Verge’s Sean Hollister put these claims to the test and discovered that his Samsung smartphone did prevent him from installing Epic Games Store, but it wasn’t so simple. There were no instructions on how to deactivate Auto Blocker. He then searched “turn off auto blocker” in the search bar, which yielded results but required jumping through several screens.
Besides winning against Google and legally proving that Google had a monopoly over Android app sharing, Epic Games also won a lawsuit against Apple. Apple had refused to let Epic Games launch its app store on iOS devices, but the EU forced Apple’s hand. However, Apple is still resisting and claims that its acceptance is only temporary.
How Google and Samsung will respond remains to be seen, but it’s possible that both companies will resist and claim they aren’t making it difficult to install the Epic Games Store. Once again, we’ll likely be waiting for the legal system to sort things out.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/epic-is-suing-google-and-samsung-for-making-it-too-hard-to-download-fortnite-142846819.html?src=rss